(December 14, 2020) – Kerry Magro, an adult with autism and Founder/President of KFM Making a Difference (a New Jersey based non-profit corporation), announced his organization’s inaugural grant to six (6) small businesses that hire people with disabilities. These businesses include:
Popcorn for the People (Piscataway, NJ), JT FireStarters (Bellevue, IA), Lucky Ones Coffee (Park City, UT), Dirt Coffee Bar (Littleton, CO), Beloved Bath (Maplewood, NJ) & Doggy Delights by Allison (Clemont, FL)
“We were only going to start with two grant recipients.” says Kerry Magro, founder and CEO of KFM Making a Difference. “Due to COVID-19 we knew many of our businesses were struggling so we wanted to do more.”
The grant was launched in September of 2020 on KFM Making A Difference’s website. All applicants were encouraged to discuss why it’s important to give people with a disability a chance to find meaningful employment. These small businesses combined have hired over 200 people with disabilities.
In Fall of 2012, KFM Making a Difference launched one if it’s first initiatives in its scholarship program. Thus far KFM has given out eighty-six (86) scholarships in total to help students with autism to go to college. Kerry Magro, founder of KFM, is a professional speaker, best-selling author and movie consultant. Kerry was nonverbal till 2.5 and diagnosed with autism at age four. Today, Kerry travels the share his story about autism and to support other kids with autism on their roads through life.
Among the topics Kerry discusses is the power of communication, disabilities in the workplace, bullying prevention, the transition to adulthood for those with disabilities, how to succeed in school with a disability and much more! Recently Kerry just hit over 1000 in the past 10 years which included being one of the first people on the autism spectrum to ever give a ‘Talks at Google.’ Kerry talks regularly to businesses as part of lunch-and-learns and other types of special events about the ROI Benefits of Hiring People with Disabilities in the Workplace. In addition, Kerry has recently collaborated to become an affiliate partner to promote the products of The Chocolate Spectrum, an artisan chocolate company in Jupiter, Florida that was started by an autism mom to help find employment for individuals like her autistic son.
Their next small business grant will be available in 2021 which you can apply for now here. To help them continue to give out this grant you can make a tax-deductible donation here. If you are interested in learning more about Kerry’s background or sending him a media/speaker inquiry you can contact him anytime here.
KFM Making A Difference 
Thank you for giving these young people hope!